When studying business in college, there are lots of possibilities for your future career. What will you do with your degree? Have you considered the many benefits of project management as a career?

Project management involves setting goals and making plans to achieve them. Working as a project manager requires planning, organizing, supervising, and conducting quality control. If you’re considering a career as a project manager, consider the following 10 benefits of project management that you will appreciate.
 

1. Work in a Variety of Industries

Project managers are needed in a wide variety of industries. Some of the most common industries that need project managers include:

 

• Architecture

• Construction

• Engineering

• Finance

• Healthcare

• Insurance

• IT

• Manufacturing

• Pharmaceuticals

• Real estate development

• Software development

• Telecommunications

Many of the skills required to work in one industry as a project manager easily transfer to other industries. Therefore, you can switch between industries as you please. If you start working in one industry and decide that it’s not for you, you can use your skills to find employment in an industry that better suits your personal preferences.

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2. Have Job Security

When starting in this field, you may need to start as an assistant. Take time to gain experience and complete the PMP certification. As you become a full-fledged project manager, more doors will be opened for you. In fact, the PMI website estimates that there will be well over 700,000 openings by 2020. In India there will high demand due to shifting of many businesses to India from China.

Project managers are in high demand when the economy is thriving. In fact, project management as a career is on the rise. This is especially true in the biotech and technology industries. If you’re looking for positions in these fields, you’ll find that there are lots of companies in need of project managers to assist with their projects, such as launching a new product or developing a new technology.

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3. Receive a Great Salary

Project managers are needed around the globe. As such, the Indian median salary is Rs. 15 Lakhs. Individuals who achieve their PMP certification tend to receive at least Rs. 5 Lakhs more than project managers who don’t get certified.

 

So how do project managers’ salaries compare in the United States? The median salary in the United States is over $69,000. The highest paid industry is typically IT. Project managers who work in the IT field make about $108,000 per year.

Don’t expect to make six figures right from the start. Yet, with hard work and certification, you can receive a great salary as a project manager.

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4. Enjoy A Variety of Activities

Some people prefer to go to work and do the same thing every day. Others enjoy a job that provides lots of variety and challenges every day. If you fit into the latter category, then project management is a great option for you.

Project managers get to work on lots of different projects. Each one provides different challenges that push you to change and adjust your way of thinking. You need to focus on scheduling, budgeting, overseeing employees, lining up resources, and more. The job will keep you on your toes and prevent you from getting bored by doing the same thing day in and day out.

 

5. Collaborate with Others

Do you enjoy working with others? As a project manager, you could work with a team of individuals from your office one day. Then, your next project may require you to collaborate with people around the world for a global project.

Project managers are the leaders of the team. So, you need to be able to interact with others and learn from them as you collaborate on projects. You could learn a lot from the other people you have the opportunity to work with on the project.

 

6. Take Responsibility

When completing a project, there are lots of stakeholders involve that you need to think about. You need to be able to see the project from start to finish while meeting the needs of everyone involved. As the leader of the team, all of the responsibility to complete the project falls on you.

If you want authority and responsibility, becoming a project manager can help you get there. What do you think about your current job? Are you wondering when you’ll be given more responsibility at work? Then, become a project manager and start enjoying the benefits of project management with all of the accompanying responsibility.

 

7. Use Your Leadership Skills

What does it mean to be a leader to you? Some of the top leadership skills are communication, motivation, delegation, and positivity. Do you have these skills? Would you consider yourself to be a leader?

As a project manager, you need to bring your team members together. You need to figure out what their strengths are and how they can be used to complete the project. It’s also important to think about how you can bring all of the members of your team together. Can you inspire and encourage them?

If you have what it takes to be a leader and enjoy leading others, then project management will be something that you really enjoy.

 

8. Continue to Learn and Grow

Part of enjoying a variety of activities on the job involves learning new things. To stay on top of your field, you need to learn about the new technologies in the industry. As a PMI member, you gain access to professional development opportunities. You can learn about new software and programs that can help you effectively achieve your goals.

In the process, you can also gain new skills that can help you on the job. Some of the important skills to have as a project manager include team management, negotiation, organization, risk management, and communication.

Think about the skills that you have and which ones you should develop to become a great project manager. Then, ask yourself, “how will developing these skills help me?” You’ll find that learning and growing on the job can make you a more effective project manager and assist you in other aspects of your life, too.

 

9. Solve Problems

Would you describe yourself as a problem solver? Do you enjoy taking a problem and finding creative solutions? As a project manager, you will be tasked with solving complex problems every day. You need to figure out how to put the pieces together and achieve your goals.

 

10. Get Recognized for Results

Let’s face it. Sometimes it feels good to get that pat on the back for a job well done. It feels good to get recognized for all of your hard work. As a project manager, you’re going to have days when you don’t receive any acknowledgment for your hard work. However, when you complete a project and see the results of your hard work, you’ll feel good about everything that you’ve accomplished.
 

And most employers will do something to recognize project managers for achieving their goals. Why? Because employers benefit as project managers figure out how to increase efficiency, reduce costs, boost quality, or improve the customers’ experience. Whatever it may be, companies want to see positive results. Therefore, if you’re a results-driven person who benefits from a good pat on the back every once in a while, this may be just the thing that you need to motivate you at work day in and day out.

There are lots of benefits of project management. If you’re thinking about taking the leap into the exciting world of a project manager, consider taking the exam to become a certified PMP. Then, you can reap all of the benefits of project management and find greater joy in your employment. Learn more about project management and what it takes to become certified, so you can start enjoying the benefits as soon as possible.